Dichotomous Questions: Definition, Examples, Applications

Surveys are an integral part of the successful running of your business. However, surveys can be challenging to create and administer.

Especially when your target audience is vast and you need concise responses.

This is where dichotomous questions come into play.

Dichotomous questions ask survey participants to choose between two mutually exclusive options. Thus, ideal for collecting valuable data on a range of topics from a large group of people. As such, they are widely used in research studies.

Assume you want to understand the impact of your new product on your target audience. To do this, you survey with dichotomous questions. You ask the respondents to answer simple yes or no questions about the product.

This poll will provide a clear image of your target audience’s sentiment. This will assist you in determining ways to enhance your products to serve your clients better.

It’s common practice for surveys to include dichotomous questions. However, surveyors experience difficulties analyzing the data in Excel.

This blog post will discuss the basics of dichotomous questions in surveys. Then show you how to glean meaningful insights from the results in Excel with ease.

Table of Content:

1. What are Dichotomous Questions?
2. Why to Use Dichotomous Questions in a Survey?
3. How to Use Dichotomous Questions?
4. Advantages & Disadvantages of Dichotomous Questions
5. Dichotomous Question Examples
6. Strategic Examination of Dichotomous Responses
7. Wrap Up

Let’s get started.

What are Dichotomous Questions?

Definition: A dichotomous question is a closed-ended question that prompts the respondent to choose between two distinct answers.

In simple terms, it is a yes or no type of question.

It is a simple way to gather data or information on a specific topic or issue. As a result, dichotomous questions are common in surveys since they allow easy data analysis and comparison.

Why to Use Dichotomous Questions in a Survey?

• Easy to Design and Administer

With only two possible answer options, dichotomous questions are straightforward. Consequently, it is easy for respondents to understand and answer quickly. This simplicity and ease of use make them popular for survey data collection methods.

• Less Time-Consuming for Respondents

Dichotomous questions only require a “yes” or “no” answer. Thus, respondents can quickly provide their responses without spending time formulating complex answers. This is particularly useful in cases where surveys need quick responses. Or where respondents have limited time or attention spans, such as with online surveys.

• Cost-Effective

Since dichotomous questions only require two possible answer options, you can easily administer them to a large group. This reduces the time and resources required to create and administer the survey. This is particularly useful for organizations or researchers with limited budgets or resources. It allows quick and efficient collection of data without incurring high costs.

• Clear and Accurate Data

You can minimize respondent bias by asking questions with just two possible answers. They give you a simple, dependable structure for completing the survey. As a result, the collected information is more likely to be trustworthy and objective. Thus, it’s helpful for factual decision-making.

How to Use Dichotomous Questions?

Dichotomous  survey questions are designed to have only two possible response options, typically “yes” or “no.” To use dichotomous questions effectively:

• Clearly Define the Question: Formulate a clear and concise question that can be answered with a binary choice.
• Provide Distinct Response Options: Ensure that the response options are mutually exclusive and cover all possible answers.
• Keep it Simple: Dichotomous questions work best when simplicity is key. Avoid adding complexity to the options.
• Use in Moderation: While dichotomous questions are straightforward, it’s advisable to use them judiciously in a survey to maintain respondent engagement.
• Consider Question Placement: Place dichotomous questions strategically within the survey, considering the flow and context of the overall open-ended questionnaire.
• Randomize if Necessary: If applicable, consider randomizing the order of dichotomous questions to minimize response bias.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Dichotomous Questions

Advantages:

• Factual Reporting

By offering only two possible answer options, dichotomous questions can provide straightforward and objective data. This is by eliminating any biases or subjective interpretations. It helps ensure the data collected is accurate and reliable and reflects the genuine opinions of the respondents.

• Eliminates Ambiguity

Using dichotomous questions eliminates any potential ambiguity in survey questions. This may lessen respondents’ likelihood of misinterpreting the question or providing irrelevant responses. Hence resulting in more precise data.

• Simplifies Survey Experience

With dichotomous questions, respondents can quickly and easily choose the answer that best reflects their opinion or experience. It eliminates the need to spend time considering multiple answer options. Furthermore, respondents are less likely to become frustrated or disengaged by a lengthy or confusing survey. Consequently, this leads to higher response rates and accurate data.

Disadvantages:

• Not Suitable for Measuring Complex Topics or Attitudes

Respondents may have a more nuanced perspective that cannot be accurately captured by a “yes” or “no” response. This can make capturing complex topics’ nuances or attitudes difficult. Consequently, fail to capture the respondent’s attitudes and opinions accurately.

• Limits Analysis

Dichotomous questions do not provide detailed information about the respondent’s opinion or experience. There may not be enough variation in the responses to draw meaningful conclusions. This can make it difficult to identify patterns or trends in the data.

• Can Reduce Reliability

Dichotomous questions may be less reliable than other question types because they can be overly simplistic. As a result, fails to capture the full complexity of the topic under study. Respondents may feel that the answer options do not accurately reflect their opinion or experience. Consequently, provide less accurate or untruthful responses.

Dichotomous Question Examples

• HR

HR exit survey questions typically contain dichotomous questions that require a “yes” or “no” answer. These questions help gather quantitative data about specific aspects of the employee’s experience.

Some examples of dichotomous questions you can include in an HR exit survey are:

1. Did you feel valued by your supervisor?
2. Did you receive adequate training for your job responsibilities?
3. Were there opportunities for growth and advancement within the company?

• Market Research

In the context of market research, dichotomous questions collect quantitative data on customer preferences, opinions, and behaviors.

Examples of dichotomous questions in market research include:

1. Are you satisfied with the service you received?
2. Would you recommend our product/service to a friend?
3. Are you familiar with our product/service?

• Education

In education research, dichotomous questions are frequently used to gather and analysis of quantitative data. They offer a quick and easy technique to gauge attitudes and beliefs.

Examples of dichotomous questions in education include:

1. Have you ever taken an online course?
2. Did you feel supported by your teachers during your last academic year?
3. Would you recommend your school to others?

• Event Management

Dichotomous questions are often used in event surveys or evaluations to test attendees’ satisfaction or experience.

Here are some examples of dichotomous questions in event management:

1. Did you find the event venue easily?
2. Was the event well organized?
3. Was the event a good value for money?

Strategic Examination of Dichotomous Responses

The next step after data collection is the analysis of the survey results. Excel is a great program to use while conducting a survey analysis. However, it poses some challenges in data analysis.

Analyzing dichotomous survey questions in Excel becomes easy with ChartExpo. ChartExpo is a powerful data visualization tool that helps you quickly create charts from survey data.

To analyze dichotomous survey questions efficiently, use the Likert Scale Chart. A Likert Scale Chart is a type of bar chart ideal for displaying survey results. It measures the intensity of a respondent’s opinion or attitude.

ChartExpo will help you create an insightful Likert Scale Chart from the dichotomous survey data. Then you can use the chart to analyze the responses and gain valuable insights.

Why ChartExpo?

Benefits of Using ChartExpo

• ChartExpo has an intuitive interface allowing you to create and customize insightful charts and graphs easily. It makes data visualization without technical knowledge possible.
• ChartExpo offers a wide range of chart types. This empowers you to choose the chart type that best suits your data visualization needs.
• ChartExpo offers an affordable $10 monthly subscription plan. Furthermore, it has a 7-day free trial to test the features before committing to the plan.

How to Install ChartExpo in Excel?

1. Open your Excel application.
2. Open the worksheet and click the “Insert” menu.
3. You’ll see “My Apps”.
4. In the office Add-ins window, click “Store” and search for ChartExpo on my Apps Store.
5. Click the “Add” button to install ChartExpo in your Excel.

ChartExpo charts and graphs are available both in Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Please use the following CTA’s to install the tool of your choice and create beautiful visualizations in a few clicks in your favorite tool.

Example

Let’s say you conducted an employee satisfaction survey that yielded the results below.

Are you satisfied with the cleanliness of the workspace?	Do you have access to the necessary resources to perform your job effectively?	Have you received adequate support for your role?	Are you satisfied with your the current level of compensation and benefits?
Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	No	No
Yes	No	No	Yes
No	No	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes	No
No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes	No
No	Yes	No	Yes
No	Yes	Yes	Yes

Follow through as I show you how a Likert Scale creator works. Then, glean valuable insights from this data.

• To get started with ChartExpo, install ChartExpo in Excel.
• Now Click on My Apps from the INSERT menu.

• Choose ChartExpo from My Apps, then click Insert.

• Once ChartExpo is loaded. Click on “Likert Scale Chart” from the list of charts.

• Click the “Create Chart From Selection” button after selecting the data from the sheet, as shown.

• When you click on Create Chart From Selection manually map responses with numbers. The Likert scale has this arrangement.
  • No = 1
  • Yes = 2
• Once all set click on Create Chart.

• The feedback data for this chart has a default scale of 5. You can change it to a scale of 2 by selecting the “Settings” option at the top of the bar.
• Then select the desired scale from the drop-down list of the Scale Type under the Chart Setting Properties window. Then click the “Apply” button.

• The Likert Scale Chart will look as follows.

• If you want to have the title of the chart, click on Edit Chart, as shown in the above image.
• To change the title of the chart, click on the pencil icon that is available very next to Chart Header.
• It will open the properties dialog. Under the Text section, you can add a heading in Line 1 and enable Show Give the appropriate title of your chart and click on Apply button.

• Let’s say you want to add text responses instead of numbers against every emoji.
• Click on the pencil icon next to the respective emoji, expand the “Label” properties, and write the required text. After that click on the “Apply All” button.
• For saving changes click on Save Changes. This will persist the changes.

• Your final chart will look like the as below.

Insights

• 64% of employees were content with the cleanliness of their workspace, while 36% expressed discontentment.
• Regarding access to the necessary resources, 73% responded positively, while 27% reported a lack of access.
• 64% felt they had adequate support for their role, while 36% did not.
• Regarding compensation and benefits, 73% expressed satisfaction, while 27% expressed dissatisfaction.
• Overall, 78% of the respondents answered “Yes” to the survey questions, while 32% answered “No”.

FAQs

What is a dichotomous scale example?

A dichotomous scale is a rating scale that offers respondents two options.

Below are some of the common dichotomous scale examples;

• Yes or No
• True or False
• Fair or Unfair
• Agree or Disagree

What is the purpose of dichotomous questions?

The purpose of dichotomous questions is to collect concise data that is easy to analyze. They are also helpful for surveys or questionnaires that need to be administered quickly and efficiently.

What is the main advantage of using dichotomous questions?

The main advantage of using dichotomous questions is simplicity. This helps to increase the response rate and reduce the likelihood of missing data. This simplicity can also reduce respondent confusion or uncertainty. Consequently, improves the accuracy of the data collected.

Why does using dichotomous questions make it easier for the respondents to respond?

Respondents do not have to spend time considering multiple options. Instead, they can quickly choose between the two options. This helps to save time and reduce cognitive load for respondents. Consequently, makes it easier for them to complete the survey or questionnaire.

Wrap Up

With dichotomous questions, you present only two possible answers. Such as “yes” or “no”. This means your respondent can only choose one of the two options. You can also provide a few examples of each answer. This will help respondents decide with more confidence.

The best thing about dichotomous questions is that they only require one specific answer. Hence, reducing the likelihood of respondents providing irrelevant or misleading information.

These might, however, be less reliable than other question types. They cannot give specific information about the respondent’s perceptions and experiences.

After defining the survey questions, you need an efficient data visualization method that best suits your data analysis needs. The most common data visualization method for survey analysis is the Likert Scale Chart. However, you can create many other visual representations using ChartExpo.

Remember, data visualization is only one part of data analysis. You also have to make sense of it. ChartExpo provides you with the appropriate features to glean valuable insights effortlessly.

Why wait?

Get ChartExpo today to enjoy the benefits firsthand.